Lock nut and nut plate



A 8. 7, 1945.. C.IC.'MISFELDT 2 8 LOCK NUT AND. NUT PLATE Filed Aug. 4,1941 gay g! 7.

r A av- 7! it 25 22 INVENTOR, CHARLES C. M/SFELDF ZPMW A 7' TORNEYS.

-Patented Aug. 7, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT ossics am. My inventionrelates to lock nuts and lock nut plates, and more particularly to alock nut which may be easily locked and easily unlocked. and

which can be used repeatedly without deterioration of its lockingqualities.

The main object of my invention is to provide a lock nut which may berepeatedly utilized, which is cheap to manufacture, and simple instructure.

Other objects of my invention will be apparent or will be specificallypointed out in the description forming a part of this specification, butI do not limit myself to the embodiment oi the invention hereindescribed. as various forms may be adopted within the scope of theclaims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a plan view of a blank utilized for a single lock nut of myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation showing the blank of Fig. l folded to forma nut.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken as indicated by the line 3-3 inFig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified blank. Fig. is an elevational viewshowing how the blank of Fig. 4 is folded.

Fig. 6 is a, plan view of a blank for forming a plurality of lock nutsextending laterally from a single nut plate.

Fig. '7 is a view in elevation showing how the blank of Fig. 6 may bfolded.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the line 8-8 in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a blank for formins a plurality of lock nutsattached to a single nut plate when the nuts are to be positioned overthe nut plate. I

Fig. 10 is a view in elevation showing the folding of the blank of Fig.9.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the line ll--liinF1g.l0.

Fig. 12 is an isometric view in cross-section of a hexagon nut made inaccordance with my invention.

Referring directly to the drawing for a more detailed description of myinvention, in Fig. l a blank is provided, preferably stamped out ofsheet metal, this blank comprising a basal plate I and a lateralextension 2. As the blank is being cut, preferably in a die, a boltaperture 3 and base attachment holes 4 may be out therein. Lateralextension 2 is then folded on itself along a line indicated by thebroken line 5 in Fig. l, and these two folds are then folded over basalplate I along a line as indicated by the broken line 6 in Fig. 1. Thlateral extension is thus formed into oppositely extending foldedportions, end portion 1 and a base portion 8. The folded portions 1 andI are then drilled coaxial with bolt aperture 3, and tapped with threadsI! to complete the lock nut, the completed nut being shown in Figs. 2and 3. A dismission of the operation of the nut will be deferred untilafter the description of the various modifications illustrated.

In Fig. 4 for example, th lateral extending portion 2 may be providedwith intermediate notches 8 at the ends of the fold between portions 1and 8, and is also cut away at the ends of fold 6 by blanking junctionnotches Ill at the Junction of the lateral portion with the basalportion. Such notchings shorten the fold between the base I and basalportion 8 and the basal portion I and the end portion 1. The blank asshown in Fig. 4 is then folded in exactly the same manner as wasindicated for the type of blank as shown in Fig. 1. The blank of P18. 4folded, drilled, and provided with threads I! is shown in Fig. 5.

In Fig.6 I have shown one manner by which a plurality of nut elementsmay be formed in-- tegral with a nut plate. In this figure a con tinuousnut plate H is blanked with spaced attachment holes 4 therein and thebolt apertures 3 are formed in the extensions 2. The extensions in thiscase are one-third longer than in the embodiment of Fig. 1, so that whenthe folds are made as described for Fig. 1, the entire nut element willbe oilset from the nut plate as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The nut'platemay then be fastened to a foundation member by means of holes 4 and thethreads in the nut elements may be used to hold bolts as desired.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a modification of the nut plate shown in Fig. 6.In this case the lateral extensions 2 are formed as in Figs. 1 or iandthe folds made to place the folded portions over the bolt apertures 3which are now in alinement on the basal plate itself, positioned betweenattachment holes 4 as shown in Figs. 10 and 11.

Thus I have shown my device as capable of being utilized as a singlebase plate and nut element or as a plurality of nut elements attached toa single base plate, with the nut elements either-laterally extendingfrom the base plate, or centrally positioned over the base plate. Thenut element alone, without a base plate, this nut comprising only thefolded portions I and 8, may also be used as will be pointed out afterexplanabe determined in accordance with the formula of .05 inch timesthe pitch of the threads that have been cut in the folded portions. Iprefer, however, to limit the maximum spacing of the folded portions toa spacing not to exceed .0015 inch in order that the proper lockingeffect takes place.

After the basal portion I has been fastened to a foundation member and abolt is started into the threads, the bolt first picks up the load onbasal portion 8 of the double fold. The load will cause portion 8 to tryto rotate, which it does slightly with relation to the end portion I ofthe nut element. As the load increases, portion 1 is also engaged with atwisting force sufficient to cause slight rotation thereof and closureof the small gap between the portions.

The gap, in accordance with the formula given above, is never more thansufilcient to absorb the tolerance in the pitch diameter, thus applyingfriction to the threads, which grips the bolt. Furthermore, the portions1 and l are neither twisted nor hingedly bent beyond the elastic limitof the metal; consequently any relative displacement will always beacting to apply locking forces to the bolt.

There is thus a large frictional force gripping the bolt, and holdingthe bolt so that it cannot easily loosen until extreme pressure isapplied. Assoonastheloadisrelievedbyrev'ersingthe.turnoftheboltsayone-eighthofaturmthe elasticity of the metal permitsthetwo portions to realine themselves and the gap Is always restored toits original condition. The bolt may thereafter be easily turned out ofthe threaded holes.

Inasmuch, therefore, as none of the locking ability of my nut isdependent upon any permanent distortion of the metal. due to the factthat this distortion is held within the elastic limit of the metal, thelock nut of my invention may be usedoverandover,untilthethreadsaresowornthatthenutwouldbeuselessasanutinany event. Thus the nut of my inventionis ideally adaptedtobeusedinconiunctionwithmaterialswhicharerequiredtobefastenedtogetherand locked, and thereafter easilyunlocked andun-' fastened,

The modifications of my invention so far describ iiave all been nutswhich have been providedwithbaseplateswhichcanbenrmlyattached to afoundation member. In Hg. 12, however, I have shown my invention formedas ahexagonnut. Inthiscase'allthreeportionsl.l,andlofthenutareofequalsiseandpreferably blanked and folded so thatthe folded structure deflnesssolidsimilarinshapetotbat of an ordinarynut. The aperture I-inportion I is, ssbefore, left withoutthreads.andthrads are formed in portions I and 8. Inasmuchas thebasalplate Idoesnotlnve threadathere isnotendencyforittoturnbecauseofdirectlyapplied torsion of the bolt. Consequently, even though this portion issmall it will, when the torque is sumcient on the bolt, hold tightly toand grip the foundation member through friction. Portion Icantwistonlytotheextentoi allowing the bolt to press against the edge ofthe hole that has been drilled to clear the threads. I have found thatnuts made in this manner are very satisfactory even when additionalfeatures about to be described are not utilized in coniunctiontherewith.

However, in case that it is possible for raw material to be formed aswell as blanked before being folded into the nut shape, I find that itis advantageous to form on member I a downwardly projecting boss 20entering an elongated hole II in member 8. Likewise, the member s isprovided with a downwardly extendin boss 22. this boa entering elongatedaperture 23 in baseportion I. This arrangement prevents either of thefolds from rotating beyond a certain amount with respect to the adjacentfold, and will naturally-not interfere with the practical application ofthe locking motion. However, bosses 2| and 22 prevent the folds frombeing relatively distorted by a wrench. Such a strain could occur if thewrench did not engage all three portions, might cause the folded nut totwist and tear at the hinge lines and might also strip the threads onone or both of the folds. However, by providing the bosses II and 22 andallowing them to project within apertures 2| and II, I retain all thelocking advantages of my construction, and at the same time prevent thenut from being damaged in case a wrench is applied to a portion only ofthe folded nut. Thus it can be seen that my invention is applicable toboth free and fixed nuts.

I claim:

1. A lock nut comprising a basal portion having an aperturetherethrough, and an integral extension thereto folded in reverse foldswithout projecting below the basal portion to form a series of layerswith the end portion 01 said extension constituting the top l y r, saidlayers having aligned threaded bolt receiving holes therethrough, saidextension being unsecured to allow movement of the layers relative tothe basal portion.

2. A lock nut comprising a basal portion having an aperturetherethrough, an integral lateral extension intermediate the ends ofsaid basal portion, said lateral extension beingfolded over itself andover the aperture in said basal portion without projecting below thebasal portion to form a series of layers, the layers formed from saidextension having aligned threaded bolt receiving hoks, said extensionbeing unsecured to,

allow movement of the layers relative to the basal portion 3. A lock nutcomprising a basal portion having an aperture therethrough, and anintegral extension thereto folded' in reverse folds to form a series oflayers with the end portion of said extension constituting the toplayer. said layers having threaded bolt receiving holes therethrough anda spacing between adjacent layers equal to substantially .05 times thepitch of the threads in said holes, said extension being unsecured toallow movement of the layers relative to the basal portion.

CHARLES C. MISFELDT.

